Road safety device and accessories

ABSTRACT

A road safety marker featuring an improved marker stabilizing base removably connected thereto and safety accessories.

ilnited States Patent 1 Vara, Sr.

[11] 3,732fi42 1 May 15, 1973 [54] ROAD SAFETY DEVICE AND ACCESSORIES[76] Inventor: Arthur G, Vara, Sr., 115 Westview Avenue, Hamburg, NY.

22 Filed: May 10,1971

21 Appl.N0.: 141,729

[52] US. Cl. ..116/63 P, 40/125 N, 94/1.5,

340/114 [51] Int. Cl. ..E0lf 9/10 [58] Field of Search ..116/63, 63 P;

40/125 N, 125 J, 145 A, 130; 94/1.5; 340/114, 321,115,119;240/10.6l

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,360,516 10/1944 Schmidling..116/63 P Primary ExaminerLouis J. Capozi A ttorney- Bean & Bean [5 7]ABSTRACT A road safety marker featuring an improved marker stabilizingbase removably connected thereto and safety accessories.

23 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEBHAY 1 51975 SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTOR. ARTH UR G. VAPA SR.

A T'I'OPNEYS PATENTED HAY] 51975 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR. flPTHU/P G. VAPA5R.

ROAD SAFETY DEVICE AND ACCESSORIES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A recenttype of road safety marker, which has enjoyed wide acceptance, featuresa hollow, brightly colored plastic cone, which is designed to break awayfrom a supporting base when struck by a vehicle. Since the cone itselfis very light in weight, it is necessary to fill the supporting basewith a flowable material, such as water and/or sand, in order tostabilize the marker. This marker is a considerable advance over priorconically shaped safety markers, which include a permanently affixedsolid base or require the utilization of sand bags to maintain themarker in place.

However, as will be readily appreciated, it is off-times a greatnuisance and/or expense to fill and/or empty for storage the supportingbases of a large number of these markers, and their supporting base maybe split open when run over by heavy vehicles. Moreover, experience withcommercially available markers of this type has shown that even when thesupporting base is completely filled, the marker will not return to itsnormal upright position when tipped past about 31. The utilization ofsupporting bases of greater width and/or height dimensions with a viewto achieving greater stability, would of course be undesirable from thestandpoint of road safety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to road safetymarkers and more particularly to a hollow cone type road safety markerhaving an improved base and accessories for use with such marker.

The present invention features the utilization of a plastic cone markersupporting base in the form of a steel supporting ring having aplurality of coil spring legs affixed thereto; the legs being utilizedto resiliently retard tipping of the marker. The supporting base may bereadily applied to the cone marker, as by dropping the supporting ringdownwardly over the cone to position the supporting ring in engagementwith an annular bottom flange formed integrally with the cone and thelegs in engagement with a marker supporting surface, such as the groundor a road surface.

The present supporting base may be in either of two forms, namely, alight weight spring base suitable for use on low speed highways orsecondary roads, and a heavy weight spring base for use on high speedhighways.

The light weight spring base is characterized as having its legs formedof relatively flexible coil springs, which are fixed to the supportingring by means of threaded bolts passing through holes in the ring andthreaded into the inner end of each leg. A particularly importantfeature of this construction is the utilization of resilientlydeformable sleeves of plastic or like material, which are frictionfitted over the inner end of each leg, such as to extend from adjacentthe supporting ring outwardly past the end of the bolt. The sleevesserve to distribute stress in order to prevent the bolt ends fromcutting through the relatively light weight spring coils. A commercialform of this type of base having six legs of about twelve inches inlength will weigh on the order of about four and one-half pounds and beeffective in returning the marker to an upright condition after beingtilted through angles of upwards of about 57.

The heavy weight spring base is characterized as employing relativelyinflexible coil spring legs, which are weakened or made flexible at apoint adjacent the inner ends thereof, as by spreading or openingseveral of the spring coils. By this arrangement, the legs may flex atthis point sufficiently to permit the outer ends of the legs to conformto the surface of the ground. In this construction, the leg attachingdevices, such as lag screws, are free to turn within their respectivereceiving openings in the supporting ring, thereby to permit theattaching devices and their associated legs to freely rotate in theevent a car wheel runs over the legs. A commercial form of this type ofbase having six legs of about twelve inches in length will weigh on theorder of about seven and one-half pounds and be effective in returningthe marker to an upright condition after being tilted downwardly intoengagement with the ground.

A desirable feature of both constructions is the utilization of threadedfasteners whose threads per inch and diameter is sufficient to produceslight axial spreading and radial expansion of the spring coils withwhich they are engaged. This simple operation results in positivelylocking the legs on the fasteners and thus to the supporting ring;rotations of the legs, as a result of being run over by the wheels ofvehicles, being ineffective in unscrewing the legs from the fasteners.

There are also disclosed several safety accessories having particularutility in combination with the present marker construction. One suchaccessory in the form of a pair of light reflective sleeves axiallyspaced by a non-reflective member has broader utility in that it may beused as an improved and low cost replacement for conventional highwayprism reflectors.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of operation of the present invention willnow be more fully described in the following detailed description takenwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a highway safety marker formed inaccordance with the present invention, additionally showing in phantomline the manner in which the marker is tilted under high wind loadingconditions:

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cone shaped marker portionbreaking away from the supporting base portion when the former is struckby a vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 44 in FIG. 1,but showing an alternative supporting base construction;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing an accessory adapted for usewith the marker of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the area designated as FIG. 6in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partially sectionalized view illustrating another accessory,which may be used with the marker of the present invention; and

FIGS. 8A and 8B are views illustrating variations of another type ofaccessory, which may be employed with the marker of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference is now made particularly to FIGS. 1 and2,

wherein a road safety marker formed in accordance with the presentinvention is generally designated as 10. Marker generally includes ahollow, frusto-conically shaped marker portion 12 open adjacent its topand base ends, and a supporting base portion 14. Preferably, markerportion 12 is of relatively light weight translucent plasticconstruction and is formed adjacent its relatively large diameter baseend with a radially outwardly extending annular ledge or flange 16. Baseportion 14 is intended to normally retain marker portion 12 upright withits base end in engagement with a supporting surface, such as the groundor roadway surface, while being adapted to return the marker portion toits normal upright position when tilted by wind loading conditions, asshown generally in FIG. 1.

Preferably, ledge 16 is sufficiently pliable to permit marker portion 12to break away from supporting base 14 whenever the former is subject toa high impact loading condition, while permitting base 14 to remainflatwise in engagement with the supporting surface, such as is generallyillustrated in FIG. 2. However, it will be understood that ledge 16possesses sufficient rigidity to maintain the marker portion andsupporting base assembled when the marker is tilted as a result of highwind loading conditions. Marker portions of the type having utility inthe present construction are sold by Borg-Warner Corporation under theTrademark Safety Guide and identified by part numbers SG-25033 andSG-25034. Such marker portions have a height of thirty-six inches, abase diameter of twelve inches, a top diameter of 2.1 inches, a wallthickness of 0.090 inches and a weight of 2.75 pounds. provided Inaccordance with the present invention, supporting base portion 14includes a supporting angular ring 20, which is formed of a relativelyheavy and rugged material, such as iron or steel; a plurality of steelspring legs 22; and a plurality of attaching devices 24, which serve toconnect the inner ends of spring legs 22 to ring 20, such that the legsextend radially outwardly in opposite directions therefrom. Preferably,ring 20 is dimensioned to be freely fitted downwardly over markerportion 12, so as to rest on ledge portion 16; and spring legs 22 madeflexible relative to ring 20 and to each other, so as to permit thespring legs to flex downwardly into engagement with the ground when themarker is upright. Preferably, a number of spring legs in excess of fourare provoded and such spring legs are arranged in a substantiallyequally spaced relationship peripherally of ring 20, thereby to permitseveral spring legs to be effective in retarding tipping of the markerportion and returning same to upright condition regardless of thedirection of tipping.

A first embodiment of the present invention, which is illustrated inFIGS. l-3, is particularly adapted for use along relatively low speedhighways or city streets and features a relatively light weight,inexpensive spring base construction.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, it will be seen that in therelatively light weight spring base construction, spring legs 22 areformed of relatively light weight coil springs, which are characterizedas being relatively free to flex vertically under their own weight andthe weight ofa lead or steel slug 26 fixed within their flared outerends 28, as generally indicated in phantom line in FIG. 1. In thisconstruction, the inner end of each of spring legs 22 is attached toring 20 by means of attaching device 24 in the form ofa threaded stud orbolt 30,

which extends radially outwardly through ring aperture 32 and isthreadably received within the coils 34 of the inner end of the springleg. A sleeve 36 of resiliently deformable material, such as nylon, isfriction fitted over the inner end of each spring leg, such as to extendlengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly relative to the outer end ofbolt 30. Sleeve 36 effectively serves to resiliently constrain flecturesof the spring leg adjacent to the outer end of bolt 30, thereby toprevent the latter from cutting through and/or deforming the relativelylight weight spring coils adjacent thereto. As will be apparent, thisarrangement may be reversed, as by replacing bolt 30 with aninternallythreaded sleeve suitably fixed to ring 20 and as by replacingsleeve 36 with a deformable cylindrical insert arranged concentricallyinwardly of the spring leg. The light weight construction of thesespring legs permits them to readily uncoil without damage when run overby the wheels of a low speed vehicle, even though their inner ends arenon-rotatably fixed to ring 20.

In use, the light weight spring base construction would appear toprincipally rely on the weight of slugs 26, which are carried by springlegs arranged opposite relative to the direction of tipping, to preventtipping over of the marker. Preferably, the spring legs are sufficientlyflexible to permit slugs 26 to remain in engagement with the grounduntil the critical tipping angle is reached, as shown in FIG. 1. Whilethe weight of ring 20 and resilient deformation of the spring legsarranged in the direction of tipping assist in retarding tipping, theyare principally relied upon to return the tipped marker to uprightcondition.

A preferred form of this embodiment features six twelve inch long springlegs, weighs about four and one-half pounds, and is effective inreturning the commercially available cone marker mentioned above to anupright position after its having been tipped through upwards of about57 by wind loadings. It has been found that greater stability may beachieved by adding more legs, but that the marker is unsuitable for highspeed road conditions, since the spring legs are readily susceptible todamage by wheels of vehicles traveling at high speeds.

While it will be readily apparent that legs 22 may be merely welded toring 20 or to non-threaded studs projecting therefrom, the utilizationof threaded fasteners is preferably in that it facilitates assembly ofthe supporting base. It is a feature of the present invention thatexpected unthreading of the legs attached to ring 20 in this manner, asa result of rotations imparted thereto when run over by the wheels of avehicle, 15 effectively prevented by the proper selection of studdiameter and number of threads per inch. In this respect, I have foundthat ifl employ a fastener characterized as having fewer threads thanthere are coils 34 per inch and a diameter slightly in excess of the ID.of the coils 34, the spring leg may be positively and essentiallypermanently locked on the fastener. In closing a fastener, it is onlynecessary to insure that it will produce very slight or just visuallyperceivable axial separations and radial expansion of coils 34 withwhich it engages.

Reference is now made particularly to FIG. 4, which illustrates arelatively heavy weight spring supporting base construction, which isparticularly adapted for use on high speed highways, whereon relativelyhigh wind loading conditions are occasioned by the passage of truckstraveling at a high speed and damage would likely occur to light weightspring legs, as mentioned above. In this construction, the spring legswill normally have larger and fewer coils per inch when compared to thespring legs discussed in connection with FIG. 3, and will normally notdeflect vertically under their own weight. However, in order to permitthese spring legs to flex relative to each other and the ring forengagement with the ground, one or more coils are opened up or spacedapart at a point slightly beyond the end of stud 30, as indicated bycoils 34.

This construction also differs from that discussed with reference toFIG. 3, in that ring 20 is heavier and has its aperture 32 formed of adiameter sufficient to permit free rotation of stud 30 therewithin; thispermitting free rotation of the spring legs when run over at high speedsin order to prevent damage thereto. In that these spring legs do notreadily flex immediately adjacent the outer end of stud 30, theresilient outer sleeve described in connection with FIG. 3 may beomitted. However, it is preferable to employ a fastener in the form ofthe illustrated lag screw, which tapers towards its end and thus permitsgradual flexing of the spring leg at this point, if required. As in theconstruction previously described, it is preferable to close a lag screwor other fastener, which will result in positive locking the spring legto the supporting ring.

In use, when a marker employing the heavy weight spring base is tipped,opened coils 34' permit the outer ends of the spring legs arrangedopposite relative to the direction of tipping to flex and remain inengagement with the ground through a limited portion of the tipping arc.Thereafter such ends leave the ground and the whole of the marker pivotsabout the ends of the legs arranged in the direction of tippingmovement. Thus, inthis form, reliance is placed upon the greater weightof the legs and ring, together with the greater spring rate of the legsto both retard tipping and to return the marker to upright position. Ofcourse, for any given wind loading condition, a marker employing theheavy weight spring base will be tipped to a lesser extent than oneemploying the light weight base.

A preferred form of this latter embodiment features six 12 inch longspring legs, weighs 7% pounds, and is effective in returning markerportion 12 to an upright condition even when tipped over into engagementwith the ground.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, wherein marker is shown as beingprovided with accessories in the form ofa fixture 40 for supporting ablinking or flashing light source 42 within marker portion 12; and a cap44 for weather sealing the open upper end of marker portion 12 andremovably locking fixture 40 in position. Light source 42 may be of anysuitable construction, such as one of many battery operated typesconventionally employed as a motorist or pedestrian warning. Fixture 40includes a bracket portion 46, which is suitably constructed to receivethe light source; and at least a pair of spring legs 48, which are fixedto extend codirectionally from bracket portion 46. Each of legs 48 isformed adjacent its free end with a hook 50, which is adapted to overliethe upper bounding edge of the marker portion for the purpose ofsuspending fixture 40 therewithin. Preferably, as indicated in FIG. 6,legs 48 are essentially parallel when non-deformed, except for havingthe outer ends bend, as at 48a, through about in order to initiallyspace hooks 50 a distance apart greater than the distance between thelegs adjacent bracket portion 46 and the diameter of the upper endopening of marker portion 12. Fixture 40 is assembled by first passinghooks 50 upwardly through the open base end of marker portion 12; legs48 being progressively and resiliently deformed towards one another byengagement of the hooks with the inner conically shaped wall of themarker portion. When hooks 50 are passed through the upper end openingof marker portion 12, legs 48 are permitted to immediately flex andposition the hooks in overlying relationship to the bounding edge of theupper end opening. Of course, the overall length of legs 48 and bracketportion 46 is less than the height of marker portion 12 in order toposition the light source above the ground and permit a limited degreeof swinging movement of the fixture.

Cap 44 is preferably in the form ofa plastic sleeve 54 having its upperend closed by suitable means, such as a rubber plug 56; sleeve 54 havingan internal diameter sufficient to permit it to be friction fitdownwardly over hooks 50 when in fixture suspending position. By thismeans, unseating of books 50 is prevented even during maximum tippingorientation of the marker. Preferably, the outer cylindrical surface ofsleeve 54 is formed or coated with a material, which is highlyreflective to light; the cap thereby acting as a vehicle light reflectorto warn a motorist of the presence of the marker during the night evenif the light source should fail.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified form of marker cap 44a, which includes apair of upper and lower sleeves 62 and 64 maintained in an axiallyspaced relationship by means of a spacer member 66 having its endsfixed, as by adhesive, one within each of sleeves 62 and 64. The outercylindrical surfaces of sleeves 62 and 64 are formed or coated with ahighly reflective material whereas the outer cylindrical surface ofspacer member 66 is formed of a material which is relativelynonreflective to light. Cap 44a is mounted on marker portion 12 byfriction fitting lower sleeve 64 downwardly over the upper end. It willbe understood that cap 44a provides an improved and low cost replacementfor conventional circular glass prisms reflectors 68 of the type shownin FIG. 8a. In this respect, more reflected light will be obtained fromcap 440 than from a pair of conventional circular prisms of the samediameter and cap 44a is always functional regardless of its orientationrelative to oncoming traffic. Moreover, due to its light weight plasticconstruction cap 44a, as well as cap 44, will not constitute a dangerousprojectile, if broken loose and propelled through the air as a result ofa vehicle accident.

As will be apparent, cap 44a has general utility as a traffic warning orsignal, that is, it may be used wherever pairs of glass prisms haveheretofore been used; the manner of supporting the cap being dependenton its installation.

FIGS. 80 and 8b illustrate respectively, circular glass prism reflectorsand flag type warning device accessories, which may be employed with thesafety marker 10. Each of these accessories comprises a tapered base 70,which is formed of a soft elastomeric material, and a standard 72, whichis formed of a resiliently deformable plastic material, such as nylon,and imbedded in base 70. Glass prism reflectors 68 and flag 74 may befixed to standards 72 in any desired manner, as by adhesive. Theutilization of the above mentioned materials in forming base 70 andstandard 72 will greatly reduce the likelihood of these warning devicescausing injury or damage, if propelled through the air as a result of avehicle accident.

I claim:

1. A safety marker for highways or the like comprising in combination:

a generally cone-shaped marker portion having a ledge portion arrangedto extend radially from adjacent a relatively large diameter base endthereof; and

a supporting base portion for stabilizing said marker portion when saidbase end thereof is supported by engagement with a marker supportingsurface, said base portion including metallic supporting ring meansdimensioned to be fitted downwardly over said marker portion to rest onsaid ledge portion, a plurality of supporting surface engaging springlegs, and means for affixing an inner end of each of said legs to saidring means to extend radially outwardly in opposite directionstherefrom, said legs being flexible relative to said ring means andrelative to each other.

2. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said legs are of a number andarranged about said ring means such that any adjacent pair of said legscooperate to define an angle less than 90.

3. A marker according to claim 2, wherein at least six of said legs arefixed to said ring means and said legs are substantially equally spacedperipherally of said ring means.

4. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said legs are formed from coilsprings characterized as being readily flexible substantially throughoutthe length thereof, and said means for affixing said legs to said ringmeans includes a plurality of stud means extending radially outwardlyfrom said ring means and fixed one concentrically of said inner end ofeach of said legs and a plurality of resiliently deformable meansarranged one concentrically of said inner end of each of said legs toextend lengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly beyond a radially outerend of said stud means, each said leg being arranged concentricallyintermediate its associated stud means and resilient means.

5. A marker according to claim 4, wherein said stud means is fixed toextend concentrically inwardly of its associated leg and said resilientmeans is in the form of a sleeve.

6. A marker according to claim 5, wherein each of said stud means isthreadably joined to coils of said inner end of its associated leg andeach of said sleeves is a plastic sleeve friction fitted over itsassociated leg, said stud means being characterized as producing slightaxial separation and radial expansion of the coils to which it isjoined, thereby to positively lock said leg on said stud meansautomatically upon threading of said stud means thereinto.

7. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said legs are characterized asbeing formed of relatively rigid coil springs made flexible by openingadjacent coils of said springs adjacent said inner ends thereof.

8. A marker according to claim 7, wherein said means for affixing saidlegs to said ring means includes means to journal said legs for rotationabout an axis extending lengthwise of said inner end thereof.

9. A marker according to claim 7, wherein said attaching means includesa plurality of stud means fixed one to each of said inner ends of saidlegs, each of said stud means being rotatably supported by said ringmeans, each of said stud means terminating at a point lengthwise of itsassociated leg spaced relatively radially inwardly from said point atwhich said adjacent coils are opened.

10. A marker according to claim 9, wherein each of said stud means isthreadably received within coils adjacent said inner end of itsassociated leg and extends radially outwardly through a receivingopening in said ring means dimensioned to accommodate for freerotational movement of said stud means therewithin, said stud meansbeing characterized as producing slight axial separation and radialexpansion of the coils within which it is received thereby to positivelylock said leg on said stud means.

11. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said marker portion is ofhollow frusto-conical construction and formed of a light weighttranslucent plastic material, said marker portion having an openingthrough said base end thereof and an opening through a relatively smalldiameter upper end thereof; and said marker additionally includes meansfor suspending a battery operated light source within said markerportion, said suspending means including bracket means for supportingsaid light source and at least two spring leg members fixed to andextending co-directionally from said bracket means for suspending saidbracket means within said marker portion, said leg members havinghook-shaped free end portions normally spaced one from another adistance in excess of the diameter of said upper end opening, wherebywhen said hook end portions are moved upwardly through said base endopening said leg members are resiliently deformed towards one another byengagement of said look end portions with inner wall surfaces of saidmarker portion and when said hook end portions are moved outwardlythrough said upper end opening said leg members are operable to positionsaid hook end portions in overlying relationship to an upper edge ofsaid marker portion bounding said upper end opening, said leg membersbeing dimensioned such that when said hooked end portions are disposedto rest on said bounding upper edge, said bracket means is suspendedwithin said marker portion above said supporting surface.

l2.'A marker according to claim 11, wherein said marker additionallyincludes a light reflecting device for removably closing said upper endopening, said device comprising at least one sleeve closed adjacent anupper end thereof and dimensioned to be friction fitted downwardly oversaid hook end portions and about said upper end of said marker portion,said sleeve being covered throughout substantially the whole of thecylindrical outer surface thereof with a relatively highly reflectivematerial.

13. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said marker portion is offrusto-conical construction; and said marker additionally includes alight reflecting device mounted on an upper end of said marker portion,said light reflecting device including at least two sleeves having thecylindrical outer surfaces thereof covered with relatively highlyreflective material and a spacer member having its outer cylindricalsurface formed of a relatively non-reflective material, said spacermember being fixed adjacent opposite ends thereof within said sleeves tomaintain said sleeves in axially spaced relationship, at least one ofsaid sleeves being dimensioned to be slip-friction fitted downwardlyover said upper end of said marker portion.

14. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said marker portion is ofhollow frusto-conical construction having an operning through said baseend and an opening through an upper end thereof, and said markeradditionally includes means for mounting an auxiliary warning device onsaid upper end of said marker portion, the last said means including atapered plug formed of a soft elastomeric material and dimensioned to beslip-friction fitted into said upper end opening and a standard formounting said auxiliary warning device above said plug, said standardbeing formed of a resiliently deformable plastic material and having alower end thereof imbedded within said plug.

15. A supporting base for a highway or like marker of the type includinga generally cone-shaped marker portion having a ledge portion arrangedto extend radially from adjacent a relatively large diameter base endthereof for base supporting said marker portion in engagement with asupporting surface, said supporting base comprising in combination:

metallic supporting ring means dimensioned to be freely fitteddownwardly over said marker portion to rest on said ledge portion;

a plurality of supporting surface engaging spring legs;

and

means for affixing an inner end of each of said legs to said ring meansto extend radially outwardly in opposite directions therefrom, said legsbeing flexible relative to said ring means and relative to each other.

16. A supporting base according to claim 15, wherein at least six ofsaid legs are affixed to said ring means and said legs are substantiallyequally spaced peripherally of said ring means.

17. A supporting base according to claim 15, wherein said legs areformed from coil springs characterized as being readily flexiblesubstantially throughout the length thereof; and

said means for affixing said legs to said ring means includes aplurality of stud means extending radially outwardly from said ringmeans and fixed one concentrically of said inner end of each of saidlegs and a plurality of resiliently deformable means arranged oneconcentrically of said inner end of each of said legs to extendlengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly beyond a radially outer end ofsaid stud means, each said leg being arranged concentricallyintermediate its associated stud means and resilient means.

18. A supporting base according to claim 17, wherein each of said studmeans is threadably joined to coils of said inner end of its associatedleg and each of said resilient means is a sleeve formed of a plasticmaterial and friction fitted over its associated leg.

19. A supporting base according to claim 15, wherein said legs arecharacterized as being formed of relatively rigid coil springs madeflexible by opening adjacent coils of said springs adjacent said innerends thereof; and

said means for affixing said legs to said ring means includes aplurality of stud means fixed one to each of said inner ends of saidlegs, each of said stud means being rotatably supported by said ringmeans and terminating at a point lengthwise of its associated legsspaced relatively radially inwardly from said point at which saidadjacent coils are opened.

20. A supporting base according to claim 19, wherein each said studmeans is threadably received within coils adjacent said inner end of itsassociated leg and extends radially outwardly through a receivingopening in said ring means dimensioned to accommodate for freerotational movement of said stud means therewithin.

21. A safety marker for highways or the like comprising in combination:

a hollow frusto-conically shaped v marker portion formed of a lightweight translucent plastic material, said marker portion having anopening through a relatively small diameter upper end and an openingthrough a relatively large diameter base end thereof, said base endserving to support said marker portion in engagement with a supportingsurface and having a ledge portion arranged to extend radially outwardlythereof;

a supporting base portion for stabilizing said marker portion tomaintain said base end in engagement with said supporting surface, saidbase portion having an opening therethrough dimensioned to permit saidbase portion to be fitted downwardly over said marker to rest on saidledge portion, said base portion extending radially outwardly of saidledge portion; and

means for suspending a battery operated light source within said markerportion, said suspending means including bracket means for supportingsaid light source and at least two spring metal leg members fixed to andextending co-directionally from said bracket means for suspending saidbracket means within said marker portions, said leg members having hookshaped free end portions normally spaced one from another a distance inexcess of the diameter of said upper end opening, whereby when said hookend portions are moved upwardly through said base end opening, said legmembers are resiliently deformed towards one another by engagement ofsaid hook end portions with inner wall surfaces of said marker portionsand when said hook end portions are moved through said upper end openingsaid leg members are operable to position said hook end portions inoverlying relationship to an upper edge of said marker portion boundingsaid upper end opening, said leg members being dimensioned such thatwhen said hook end portions are disposed to rest on said upper boundingedge, said bracket means is suspended within said marker portion abovesaid supporting surface.

22. A safety marker according to claim 21, wherein a pair of leg membersare provided and relatively arranged to position said hook end portionsthereof in overlying relationship with diametrically opposite sides ofsaid upper bounding edge thereby to permit swinging movement of saidbracket means within said marker portion; and said marker additionallyincludes a light reflecting device for removably closing said upper endopenings, said device comprising at least one sleeve closed adjacent anupper end thereof and dimensioned to be friction fitted downwardly oversaid hook end portions about said upper end of said marker portion, saidsleeve being covered throughout substantially the whole of its outercylindrical surface with a light reflecting material.

23. A safety marker according to claim 21, wherein said leg members whennon-deformed extend from said bracket means in an essentially parallelrelationship, and are bent adjacent said hook end portions thereof,whereby said leg members when non-deformed tend to maintain said hookend portions spaced a distance apart in excess of the spacing of saidleg portions adjacent said bracket means.

1. A safety marker for highways or the like comprising in combination: agenerally cone-shaped marker portion having a ledge portion arranged toextend radially from adjacent a relatively large diameter base endthereof; and a supporting base portion for stabilizing said markerportion when said base end thereof is supported by engagement with amarker supporting surface, said base portion including metallicsupporting ring means dimensioned to be fitted downwardly over saidmarker portion to rest on said ledge portion, a plurality of supportingsurface engaging spring legs, and means for affixing an inner end ofeach of said legs to said ring means to extend radially outwardly inopposite directions therefrom, said legs being flexible relative to saidring means and relative to each other.
 2. A marker according to claim 1,wherein said legs are of a number and arranged about said ring meanssuch that any adjacent pair of said legs cooperate to define an angleless than 90*.
 3. A marker according to claim 2, wherein at least six ofsaid legs are fixed to said ring means and said legs are substantiallyequally spaced peripherally of said ring means.
 4. A marker according toclaim 1, wherein said legs are formed from coil springs characterized asbeing readily flexible substantially throughout the length thereof, andsaid means for affixing said legs to said ring means includes aplurality of stud means extending radially outwardly from said ringmeans and fixed one concentrically of said inner end of each of saidlegs and a plurality of resiliently deformable means arranged oneconcentrically of said inner end of each of said legs to extendlengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly beyond a radially outer end ofsaid stud means, each said leg being arranged concentricallyintermediate its associated stud means and resilient means.
 5. A markeraccording to claim 4, wherein said stud means is fixed to extendconcentrically inwardly of its associated leg and said resilient meansis in the Form of a sleeve.
 6. A marker according to claim 5, whereineach of said stud means is threadably joined to coils of said inner endof its associated leg and each of said sleeves is a plastic sleevefriction fitted over its associated leg, said stud means beingcharacterized as producing slight axial separation and radial expansionof the coils to which it is joined, thereby to positively lock said legon said stud means automatically upon threading of said stud meansthereinto.
 7. A marker according to claim 1, wherein said legs arecharacterized as being formed of relatively rigid coil springs madeflexible by opening adjacent coils of said springs adjacent said innerends thereof.
 8. A marker according to claim 7, wherein said means foraffixing said legs to said ring means includes means to journal saidlegs for rotation about an axis extending lengthwise of said inner endthereof.
 9. A marker according to claim 7, wherein said attaching meansincludes a plurality of stud means fixed one to each of said inner endsof said legs, each of said stud means being rotatably supported by saidring means, each of said stud means terminating at a point lengthwise ofits associated leg spaced relatively radially inwardly from said pointat which said adjacent coils are opened.
 10. A marker according to claim9, wherein each of said stud means is threadably received within coilsadjacent said inner end of its associated leg and extends radiallyoutwardly through a receiving opening in said ring means dimensioned toaccommodate for free rotational movement of said stud means therewithin,said stud means being characterized as producing slight axial separationand radial expansion of the coils within which it is received thereby topositively lock said leg on said stud means.
 11. A marker according toclaim 1, wherein said marker portion is of hollow frusto-conicalconstruction and formed of a light weight translucent plastic material,said marker portion having an opening through said base end thereof andan opening through a relatively small diameter upper end thereof; andsaid marker additionally includes means for suspending a batteryoperated light source within said marker portion, said suspending meansincluding bracket means for supporting said light source and at leasttwo spring leg members fixed to and extending co-directionally from saidbracket means for suspending said bracket means within said markerportion, said leg members having hook-shaped free end portions normallyspaced one from another a distance in excess of the diameter of saidupper end opening, whereby when said hook end portions are movedupwardly through said base end opening said leg members are resilientlydeformed towards one another by engagement of said look end portionswith inner wall surfaces of said marker portion and when said hook endportions are moved outwardly through said upper end opening said legmembers are operable to position said hook end portions in overlyingrelationship to an upper edge of said marker portion bounding said upperend opening, said leg members being dimensioned such that when saidhooked end portions are disposed to rest on said bounding upper edge,said bracket means is suspended within said marker portion above saidsupporting surface.
 12. A marker according to claim 11, wherein saidmarker additionally includes a light reflecting device for removablyclosing said upper end opening, said device comprising at least onesleeve closed adjacent an upper end thereof and dimensioned to befriction fitted downwardly over said hook end portions and about saidupper end of said marker portion, said sleeve being covered throughoutsubstantially the whole of the cylindrical outer surface thereof with arelatively highly reflective material.
 13. A marker according to claim1, wherein said marker portion is of frusto-conical construction; andsaid marker additionally includes a light reflecting device mounted onan upper end of said marker portion, said Light reflecting deviceincluding at least two sleeves having the cylindrical outer surfacesthereof covered with relatively highly reflective material and a spacermember having its outer cylindrical surface formed of a relativelynon-reflective material, said spacer member being fixed adjacentopposite ends thereof within said sleeves to maintain said sleeves inaxially spaced relationship, at least one of said sleeves beingdimensioned to be slip-friction fitted downwardly over said upper end ofsaid marker portion.
 14. A marker according to claim 1, wherein saidmarker portion is of hollow frusto-conical construction having anoperning through said base end and an opening through an upper endthereof, and said marker additionally includes means for mounting anauxiliary warning device on said upper end of said marker portion, thelast said means including a tapered plug formed of a soft elastomericmaterial and dimensioned to be slip-friction fitted into said upper endopening and a standard for mounting said auxiliary warning device abovesaid plug, said standard being formed of a resiliently deformableplastic material and having a lower end thereof imbedded within saidplug.
 15. A supporting base for a highway or like marker of the typeincluding a generally cone-shaped marker portion having a ledge portionarranged to extend radially from adjacent a relatively large diameterbase end thereof for base supporting said marker portion in engagementwith a supporting surface, said supporting base comprising incombination: metallic supporting ring means dimensioned to be freelyfitted downwardly over said marker portion to rest on said ledgeportion; a plurality of supporting surface engaging spring legs; andmeans for affixing an inner end of each of said legs to said ring meansto extend radially outwardly in opposite directions therefrom, said legsbeing flexible relative to said ring means and relative to each other.16. A supporting base according to claim 15, wherein at least six ofsaid legs are affixed to said ring means and said legs are substantiallyequally spaced peripherally of said ring means.
 17. A supporting baseaccording to claim 15, wherein said legs are formed from coil springscharacterized as being readily flexible substantially throughout thelength thereof; and said means for affixing said legs to said ring meansincludes a plurality of stud means extending radially outwardly fromsaid ring means and fixed one concentrically of said inner end of eachof said legs and a plurality of resiliently deformable means arrangedone concentrically of said inner end of each of said legs to extendlengthwise thereof inwardly and outwardly beyond a radially outer end ofsaid stud means, each said leg being arranged concentricallyintermediate its associated stud means and resilient means.
 18. Asupporting base according to claim 17, wherein each of said stud meansis threadably joined to coils of said inner end of its associated legand each of said resilient means is a sleeve formed of a plasticmaterial and friction fitted over its associated leg.
 19. A supportingbase according to claim 15, wherein said legs are characterized as beingformed of relatively rigid coil springs made flexible by openingadjacent coils of said springs adjacent said inner ends thereof; andsaid means for affixing said legs to said ring means includes aplurality of stud means fixed one to each of said inner ends of saidlegs, each of said stud means being rotatably supported by said ringmeans and terminating at a point lengthwise of its associated legsspaced relatively radially inwardly from said point at which saidadjacent coils are opened.
 20. A supporting base according to claim 19,wherein each said stud means is threadably received within coilsadjacent said inner end of its associated leg and extends radiallyoutwardly through a receiving opening in said ring means dimensioned toaccommodate for free rotational movement of said stud means therewithin.21. A safety marker for highways or the like comprising in combination:a hollow frusto-conically shaped marker portion formed of a light weighttranslucent plastic material, said marker portion having an openingthrough a relatively small diameter upper end and an opening through arelatively large diameter base end thereof, said base end serving tosupport said marker portion in engagement with a supporting surface andhaving a ledge portion arranged to extend radially outwardly thereof; asupporting base portion for stabilizing said marker portion to maintainsaid base end in engagement with said supporting surface, said baseportion having an opening therethrough dimensioned to permit said baseportion to be fitted downwardly over said marker to rest on said ledgeportion, said base portion extending radially outwardly of said ledgeportion; and means for suspending a battery operated light source withinsaid marker portion, said suspending means including bracket means forsupporting said light source and at least two spring metal leg membersfixed to and extending co-directionally from said bracket means forsuspending said bracket means within said marker portions, said legmembers having hook shaped free end portions normally spaced one fromanother a distance in excess of the diameter of said upper end opening,whereby when said hook end portions are moved upwardly through said baseend opening, said leg members are resiliently deformed towards oneanother by engagement of said hook end portions with inner wall surfacesof said marker portions and when said hook end portions are movedthrough said upper end opening said leg members are operable to positionsaid hook end portions in overlying relationship to an upper edge ofsaid marker portion bounding said upper end opening, said leg membersbeing dimensioned such that when said hook end portions are disposed torest on said upper bounding edge, said bracket means is suspended withinsaid marker portion above said supporting surface.
 22. A safety markeraccording to claim 21, wherein a pair of leg members are provided andrelatively arranged to position said hook end portions thereof inoverlying relationship with diametrically opposite sides of said upperbounding edge thereby to permit swinging movement of said bracket meanswithin said marker portion; and said marker additionally includes alight reflecting device for removably closing said upper end openings,said device comprising at least one sleeve closed adjacent an upper endthereof and dimensioned to be friction fitted downwardly over said hookend portions about said upper end of said marker portion, said sleevebeing covered throughout substantially the whole of its outercylindrical surface with a light reflecting material.
 23. A safetymarker according to claim 21, wherein said leg members when non-deformedextend from said bracket means in an essentially parallel relationship,and are bent adjacent said hook end portions thereof, whereby said legmembers when non-deformed tend to maintain said hook end portions spaceda distance apart in excess of the spacing of said leg portions adjacentsaid bracket means.